my shoulder, he wheeled me round so as to look me in
the face as I lifted up my head and gazed at him admiringly on his
addressing me directly, "so, my young shaver, you want to be a sailor,
eh?"

"Yes, sir," I replied, "I love the sea, and I wouldn't be anything else
for the world!"

"Ha, humph!" growled the veteran, who, I believe, was as fond of his
profession at heart, in spite of his grumbles, as anyone who ever went
afloat. "You'd better be a tinker or a tailor, my boy, than go to sea!
It's a bad trade nowadays! What put it into your head, eh?"

"It comes naturally to him," said Dad, seeing me puzzled how to answer
the question. "I suppose it must run in the blood, sir."

"Humph, like my gout!" jerked out Sir Charles, sharply, as if he just
then felt a twinge of his old complaint, and, turning to me again, he
asked as abruptly, "D'ye think you can pass for cadet, youngster--know
your three R's--readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic, eh?"

"Yes, sir, I think so," said I grinning, having heard this old joke
before from Dad many a time, "I shall try my best, sir. I can't say
more than that, sir, can I?"

"No, by George, no, youngster, that answer shows me, my boy, that you
are your father's son!" cried the Admiral heartily, clapping me on the
back as if I were a man, and making me sneeze with the loose snuff which
he shook off from his coat as he did so. "I said you were a chip of the
old block the moment I first clapped eyes on you, and now I'm certain of
it! Vernon, you shall have a nomination for the youngster. I think
I've got sufficient interest at the Admiralty left to promise you that,
at all events!"

"Oh, thank you, Admiral," replied Dad, while I looked my gratitude, not
being able to speak, "thank you for your great kindness to me and the
boy."

"Pooh, pooh, stuff and nonsense, my lad! It's little enough to do for
an old shipmate and brother officer," muttered the good-hearted old
fellow, quite overcome with confusion at our thanks, as Dad wrung one of
his hands and I caught hold of the other. "I've got an appointment to
meet the First Lord this very afternoon, as luck would have it, so I'll
mention the matter to him, and I've no doubt the youngster'll get his
nomination in a day or two, at the outside. By-the-bye where are you
stopping in London? You haven't told me that yet."

My father, thereupon, gave him our address.

"All right, Vernon," said the veteran, shoving Dad's card along wit